Sting tape of horse-trading by Kejriwal released, Damania quits AAP

The allegation of horse-trading levelled by Anjali Damania is based on a taped conversation between Rajesh Garg, AAP’s ex-MLA from Rohini, and Kejriwal in July 2014. Here’s the transcript of the audio tape:

Kejriwal : AAP is prepared to take support from the 8 Congress MLAs. Manish Sisodia has been in touch with Congress MLAs but they don’t seem to be keen on supporting AAP. Garg: All the 8 Congress MLAs are ready to support AAP but Ajay Maken and Randeep Surjewala are creating obstacles. Kejriwal: Because of the problems being created by Maken, Congress MLAs have not been able to take a final decision. Kejriwal: We should not speak out at this time. We should speak out only if the Congress MLAs say publicly that they are prepared to support us. Garg: We have to move fast else the Lt Governor may announce dissolution of the Assembly.

Our fight is to ensure party remains true to its founding principles – Bhushan

In the letter, we have given a background to recent happenings and responded to allegations levelled against us, says Prashant Bhushan.

Prashant Bhushan and I have decided that we won’t make any more statements in the media – Yadav

Have requested the party that they should make the letter public like they did for yesterday’s statement – Yadav

Today, I and Prashant Bhushan wrote a letter to AAP volunteers to tell them everything they should know. The letter will be released everywhere, says Yogendra Yadav.

AAP has meanwhile deputed Preeti Menon to speak to Anjali Damania after she quit the party.

When a meeting happens these things will be discussed, says Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai on Anjali Damania’s resignation and her allegations.

Meanwhile, former AAP MLA Rajesh Garg has told the media that he had given the recording, which allegedly contained voice of Arvind Kejriwal discussing horse-trading, to Kumar Vishwas. “I am surprised this has reached media,” Garg said.

I quit; I have not come into AAP for this nonsense. I believed him; I backed Arvind for principles not horse-trading, says Damania in a tweet.

Amid the ongoing crisis in the party, senior leader from Maharashtra, Anjali Damania, has announced her resignation from the membership of the AAP.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh has reacted on the letter written by AAP MLAs. He said, “Party will think about it, can’t say what the decision will be.”

Prashant Bhushan’s sister, Shalini Gupta, has meanwhile strongly denied allegations that she had requested members of the NRI team of the party to stop donations. “An article has recently been published, where the title of the article claiming that Prashant Bhushan’s sister’s emails take AAP to breaking point is extremely misleading and damaging. I have never sent any email to the NRI team asking people not to donate. No one in the NRI team has seen any such mail from me. People have spent hours searching their mailboxes and no one has found such a mail,” Gupta told ANI in an email conversation.